dado fingers question

[whiskeytripping]

Hello guys, fairly new to wood working here and I can't seem to find this question (at least explained in a style I understand) but I have a tablesaw set up with a 3/4" dado, and a incra I-box jig. After setting up the jig, I adjusted it till the fingers were snug (they started out loose) and now what seems to be the problem, how exactly do other users out there cut their fingers spacing where you can get a full finger on the top AND bottom? Is one of the full fingers part of the other board or what? I already have my wood cut out to exact measurements for the 9-5/8" deep hive bodies. I will be making medium supers later. My joints are fitting together great now, it's just the spacing on the first cut, and getting the other plank of wood to mirror the exact opposite. I know that this sounds like a pretty obvious question to most experienced hands but stumping me. Thanks for all the comments, and Merry Christmas to all

[D Semple]

Your not going to get a full finger on the top and the bottom because 3/4" does not divide into 9 5/8" evenly. Don't worry that the bottom finger is a little smaller.

If you are going to cut your frame rest with your dado blades, start with a full finger on top of the long (19 7/8")side pieces.

If you are going to use a router to inset your frame rest cuts, start with a full finger at the top of the narrower rear and front pieces.

Don

[whiskeytripping]

Thanks for the info Don. I do not have a router, I figured I would cut the frame rest after the dado fingers were cut. And I guess I will just have to live with the smaller finger down below. When you have the smaller finger down at the bottom, how do you get that on the mirror image piece that fits it? Butt it up next to it and with the new piece of wood Before removing theold piece? and when you talk about a smaller finger,how much smaller?i noticed Mr Cleo said to try not to pry on your corners if possible anyways. I'm sure i will try not too. Thanks again Don for your help. When I finally learn all this, ill gladly pass what I've learned down to the next newby

[beegeorge]

Why even use the "fingers"??? every horizontal surface you create,, is one more place for water to reside and begin to rot,,

Take a look at how Rossman apiaries cuts their boards,, MUCH simpler,, no horizontal rotting places,,

glue and screw,, its just as strong as finger joints,,

[Charlie B]

Butt joints with Titebond III, screws and good paint is all you need.

[beegeorge]

agree with Charlie B,, even is you use titebond II

[Daniel Y]

I have never used the Incra Jig. So I don not know exactly how the adjustment stuff works. I simply make a finger joint jig out of a couple of scraps of wood when I need them.
p_boxjoinjig.jpg

In the photo. notice he has the edge of the piece set against the index pin of the jig. when the second notch is cut he will move the piece so that the first notch fits on the index pen. etc. The last notch will be the partial one.

If you wanted the first notch to be at the edge of the board you would put a spacer the width of a finger next to the index pin and then put the edge of the piece against that.

[Joseph Clemens]

It sounds like the O/P is confusing dado cuts with finger joints, dado cuts aren't essential to creating finger joints, the fingers can be cut in many other ways besides dado's.

I too prefer rabbet/rebate joints or even locking miter joints for super construction, especially when I'm making my own.

[whiskeytripping]

Well, looks like I got this one figured out. Now I just need to find a good place to start buying my pine. My 1 x 12's I bought the other day were a little warped, and this was laying it all flat and covering in the barn. I never really like the orange "box stores" method of standing wood on its end.

[stoffel64]

Hi,

I don't use finger or box joins for my self-made boxes. I just use a rabbet joints because they are easier to make
and hold up pretty good too. Of course a box or finger joint is better but I save a lot of time using the rabbet joint.
Use a good glue (Tidebond III)and good screws (pre-drill).

Cheers
Stefan

[pine_ridge_farms]

Hi,

I don't use finger or box joins for my self-made boxes. I just use a rabbet joints because they are easier to make
and hold up pretty good too. Of course a box or finger joint is better but I save a lot of time using the rabbet joint.
Use a good glue (Tidebond III)and good screws (pre-drill).

Cheers
Stefan

I second rabbet joints. Although I believe they are superior to dado joints. There is less end grain to absorb moisture with rabbets. End grain is what absorbs the most moisture. Plus it is super easy and fast to do with a dado blade.

[whiskeytripping]

When you make these rabbet joints, what kind and how many clamps do you have to use to square them up and let them set? Or did you build a box to assemble them in. I do know that the box end joint was easy to square up. Thanks guys for all the feed back

[Cleo C. Hogan Jr]

D Semple...whiskeytripping.... I cut my rabbets with the same dado, but, I like to cut the top of the long side of a box 3/8 inch less than a full finger, so it can butt against the 3/8 rabbet in the front and rear. I think this makes a stronger joint since you can nail and glue, from the front into a full finger. Just another way to do it.

Slightly smaller finger on the bottom is not a problem. Attached photo shows there is only a slight difference in the top and bottom finger.

5th cut after turning.jpg

cchoganjr

[minz]

Take the thickness of the dato stack and cut out a piece of wood. Put it against the fence and cut the dato. Move the fence two widths, screw the plywood to the fence and cut it again. Glue and nail the strip to the first dato cut.
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/...xjointback.jpg
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/...oxjigfront.jpg

Place a piece of scrap wood against the peg and do a dato. (or just use the second scrap to increment one part of the box (the fronts and backs with the shelf) that way the fronts and backs will be the female end and the rest will not show through.
I do the entire width of the board and place in a bottom. When I cut it off I get a free inter cover or candy board.
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/...1_01190022.jpg
Craigs list or a lumber mill are the best places to get cheap wood.

[whiskeytripping]

Thanks for all y'all's help and suggestions. I finally pieced together a 5 frame nuc box, it's glued and nailed. I did have a couple little bitty gaps in a couple of places I will fill in with a 20year calk, then paint them really good. I won't worry about the insides, cause the bees will fix that problem for me.

[Mr.Beeman]

I rabbet cut my side boards 3/4" deep and leave a 3/8" shoulder. Glue and nail with titebond. Then I place it on the floor and square up with a carpenters square. You'd be surprised how far off they can be. After a day or so stack them as high as you wish.

[steve andrews]

I have found that pocket holes from inside and tightbound glue and 5 holes is great and strong works great these joints are as strong as it gets

[Cleo C. Hogan Jr]

minz... Nice explaination of setting up the box joint jig, and photos are good. Lots of people have asked about how to set up the jig. I have a sled that runs in the miter grooves, but then I do a lot more boxes than someone just building a few. I just haven't had the time to make the photos and write up the info.

I noticed your photo, linked here.......... http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/...1_01190022.jpg........ that you are using a router/shaper/dado for handles....... If you would like to make the handles more like commercial boxes,... beesource has the plans in their "Do It Yourself" library to make a very simple jig to cut those commercial looking handles with a Skil Saw. Beesource also has a link to my video on uTube demonstrating how the handles are cut, with a Skil Saw, safe, fast, easy, or if you would like, you can e-mail me at cchoganjr@scrtc.com and i will send you the instructions. No charge, and your boxes will look like commercial ones. There is a photo that shows the hand hold you can cut with the Skil Saw on post # 26 below.

cchoganjr

[Mr.Beeman]

Cleo,

A pic is worth a thousand words. I oriented the pic to my explanation.
The side dado is cut 3/4" deep to accept the front panel so everything will be flush and I left the 3/8" shoulder to nail through. Soooo simple.

1222121417.jpg

[whiskeytripping]

I just thought about it, but on my last 4 unassembled boxes, I could dado off 1/16" off the end plates in between the fingers. If this size is so critical. Or could I take a 1/16" off the unassembled frames when I buy them? This just makes me sick to even think about it